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13 Jan 2009 : Column 657W—continued
| Primary, secondary and special schools( 1,2,3: ) number of episodes of fixed period exclusions by free school meal eligibility 2005-06 and 2006-07: England | ||||
| Maintained primary schools | State funded secondary schools( 2) | |||
| Number of exclusions | Proportion of fixed period exclusions( 4) | Number of exclusions | Proportion of fixed period exclusions( 4) | |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes both CTCs and Academies. Information is as reported by schools. (3) Includes both maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools. (4) The number of fixed period exclusions expressed as a percentage of all fixed period exclusions. (5) For 2005-06 a change in the underlying method of data collection means that data on fixed period exclusions from primary and special schools is not available. (6) Totals include 4,600 fixed period exclusions with unclassified free school meal eligibility. (7) Not available. (8 )Totals include 2,529 fixed period exclusions with unclassified free school meal eligibility. (9) Not applicable. Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census | ||||
Schools: Catering
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made towards re-installing kitchens in schools from which they had been removed. [244261]
Beverley Hughes: The Department does not collect this information.
However, over the next three years, we are providing a record £21.9 billion of capital support for investment in school buildings. Much of this funding is devolved to local authorities and schools for their local priorities, which can include installing or improving school kitchens and dining areas. In addition to this funding, from April 2008 until March 2011, we are making available £150 million of targeted capital grant specifically to help improve kitchens and dining areas.
Schools: Reorganisation
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will review the appropriateness of arrangements for the amalgamation of local authority education and children’s social services; and if he will make a statement. [244337]
Beverley Hughes:
There is wide agreement that the outcomes we want for every child can only be achieved and sustained when agencies work together. The role of the Director of Children’s Services brings together local
authority services for children and young people to ensure joint working, and to champion the interests of children and young people in the local area. There is no intention to review these arrangements.
Schools: Standards
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Making Good Progress pilot scheme; [245573]
(2) what assessment he has made of the performance levels in single level tests undertaken under the Making Good Progress pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement. [245572]
Jim Knight: Making Good Progress is a two year pilot, due to run until July 2009. It is being independently evaluated by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The interim report on the first year of the pilot has been published and a copy has been sent to the Chairman of the Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families. The report includes the summary of the December 2007 and June 2008 single level test results.
A final evaluation report which will make an assessment about the effectiveness of the pilot and its elements over the full two years is due to be published in the autumn of 2009.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools have joined the National Challenge as a consequence of their 2008 GCSE results. [246082]
Jim Knight: Final validated GCSE results for 2008 are not yet available. However, since the National Challenge was launched we have been working with local authorities to identify bespoke packages of support for schools with fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils gaining 5 A*-C including English and mathematics, and for those deemed at risk of falling below this threshold.
Individual local authorities will shortly publish their plans for all schools which are being supported by National Challenge so that local parents can see details of the proposed support.
Secondary Education: Coastal Areas
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the most recent Ofsted inspection grades were for each secondary school that serves the principal seaside towns of England; and what the national average was of such grades. [244859]
Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in both Libraries.
Sixth Form Colleges: Finance
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what tasks he has asked each Government Office to undertake relating to the proposed changes to the funding and management of sixth form colleges; and if he will make a statement. [244171]
Jim Knight: Government offices (GOs) will have no direct role in funding and management of sixth form colleges in the new system. Local authorities will be accountable for the performance management of sixth form colleges in the new system where there will be a legally distinct Sixth Form College sector.
Responsibility for the planning, commissioning and funding for education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds will transfer to local authorities; supported by a new Young People's Learning Agency. GOs will contribute to discussion of regional priorities and support local authorities in undertaking their new responsibilities. They are, and will continue to be, a conduit for information to flow from sub-regional groupings (SRGs) to the Department. During the transition to the new system GOs are playing an important role in supporting local authorities and working with other regional bodies to prepare. In particular they have been supporting the development of SRGs in preparation for the transfer of 16 to 19 funding from the Learning and Skills Council to local authorities. The Department will be allocating funding via Government offices to SRGs to help build their capacity through this process.
Social Services: Children
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the names and positions are of the chairs of each Local Safeguarding Board; and which of those chairs hold the positions concurrently with a position of director of children's services or any other local authority appointment relating to child protection. [241997]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 10 December 2008]: The list of the Chairs of Local Safeguarding Children Boards, which includes information about Chairs who hold the positions concurrently with a position of Director of Children's Services or any other local authority appointment relating to child protection, is available on the Every Child Matters website. The website address to access the list is:
Social Services: Temporary Employment
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of those working in social services departments in each local authority area in England were agency staff in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [244689]
Beverley Hughes: The number and percentage of agency staff working in social services departments by local authority is not held centrally. The Local Government Association estimated that the average percentage of agency staff working in posts for children and young people within local authority social services departments in England in 2006 was 13 per cent. This was estimated to equate to around 5,488 agency staff covering a range of roles including field social workers, residential care workers and admin staff. Further information is available from the Local Government Analysis and Research website:
Social Workers: Disclosure of Information
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families by what date he expects the confidential whistleblowers’ hotline for social workers announced by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to be operational; and if he will make a statement. [244690]
Beverley Hughes: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 19 December 2008:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.
Ofsted is currently investigating options for establishing the whistleblowers’ hotline. We would expect it to be operational from April 2009.
At present, it is possible for anyone with concerns to raise these anonymously by contacting Ofsted’s National Business Unit, the details of which can be found on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for School and Learners, and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
Specialised Diplomas
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have received money for introducing new diploma courses; and if he will make a statement. [245597]
Jim Knight: We do not hold information at school level on funding that schools receive for diploma delivery. In 2008-09, funding was available to schools delivering diplomas from the following sources:
The diploma grant to support the additional costs of delivery for 14 to 16-year-olds (a total of £17.4 million distributed through 100 local authorities to consortia delivering diplomas for 8,568 learners);
Funding for 16 to 18-year-olds in school sixth forms distributed by LSC (a total of 3,504 16 to 18-year-olds are being funded in schools and colleges at the relevant funding rate for the line and level of learning they are studying); and
A total of £56.12 million to develop the work force in schools and colleges.
In addition to these, we have made available funding to support consortia approved through the Gateway process to prepare for delivery. We have provided £30,000 per consortium per line of learning for those starting to deliver diploma courses in September 2008. For the seven consortia due to deliver all 10 diploma lines from September 2009, we have this year supported them with an extra £1 million each to build the necessary capacity.
We have also given the 20 most rural local authorities an extra £1 million each to support innovation in implementation of 14-19 reforms in rural areas. For the 40 most rural local authorities, there is funding of a total of £3 million to support the post of transport and access co-ordinator. There is also £608 million in targeted capital funding available across the 76 local authorities not involved in waves 1-6 of Building Schools for the Future (£8 million for each local authority) to spend on either 14-19 or special educational needs.
Schools, colleges, local authorities and others can access existing funding streams to help 14-19 reforms, which include Building Schools for the Future, the Further Education Modernisation Fund and the 16-19 Capital Fund.
Sports: Curriculum
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what place there will be for co-operative sport in the new primary curriculum. [246538]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The detail of the revised primary curriculum will be set out in the final report of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum in spring 2009. The Independent Review is working with the Association for Physical Education, the Youth Sports Trust and other relevant organisations to develop physical education content, including co-operative sport, in the new primary curriculum.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what part physical education lessons will play in the new primary curriculum. [246539]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Physical education will continue to play an important part in the primary curriculum. The detail of the knowledge, skills and understanding all primary aged pupils should be taught in physical education and other subject areas will be set out in the final report of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum next spring.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment has been made of the impact of the provision of the new primary curriculum relating to physical education on childhood obesity rates. [246540]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: No assessment has been made. The Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum has only published an interim report. The interim report makes explicit the link between physical development and health. Work is currently taking place on the detailed content of the programmes of learning to be published with the final report next spring.
Trust Schools
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many schools in (a) Herefordshire, (b) Shropshire, (c) Worcestershire and (d) the West Midlands have applied for trust status; [246758]
(2) who the main external partners supporting Herefordshire Trust Schools will be; and if he will make a statement. [246759]
Jim Knight: Schools do not have to apply to the Department for Children, Schools and Families to become a trust or foundation school. Proposals are decided by the governing body (or the Schools Adjudicator where proposals to acquire a trust have been referred by the local authority). There is no role for Ministers in the decision-making process.
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